UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball action between University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University. Photo from UAAP Media.MANILA — The Gabriela Women’s Partylist on Monday joined those who have cried foul on the reported pay gap for referees assigned to officiate women’s basketball games.
In addition to Gilas Pilipinas women standouts Kent Pastrana and Tin Cayabyab, and University of Santo Tomas head coach Haydee Ong, House Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela representative Sarah Elago also used her platform to call out the UAAP.
“Let’s not shortchange women’s game. Pay referees fairly,” Elago said in a statement by the party. “Paying less for women's games reinforces the harmful message that women’s sports — and women themselves — are worth less.”
Reportedly, the UAAP’s revised rates see referees earn Php 3,000 in the men’s, Php 2,500 in the juniors, and Php 2,000 for the women’s side — a departure from previous years when all divisions were paid equally at ₱2,500 per game.
The UAAP stated that these are based on “tiers” which reflect how the men’s matches are played at a faster pace in comparison to the juniors’ and women's games.
Pastra and Cayabyab have made it clear that they are offended by the development, believing it to be a slight against women's basketball. Champion coach Ong, meanwhile, slammed the league's explanation after their 105-56 rout of De La Salle University last weekend.
READ: Pastrana on reported pay gap for UAAP referees — ‘Tingin nila sa women’s basketball mababa’
“As a women’s player, basketball is the same lang naman,” said Cayabyab. “Tingin nila sa women’s basketball is mababa,” added Pastrana.
“Hindi na siguro kami mabagal ngayon, 105 points na kami, so I think yun yung maganda sa women’s basketball,” Ong said. “Sa women’s basketball, wala nang mahinang team.”
Rep. Elago supported these statements and went on to link the issue to the broader fight for a family living wage in the Philippines.
“Hindi ito basta na lamang tungkol sa basketball, kundi tungkol sa pagpapahalaga natin sa trabahong ginagawa ng kababaihan sa iba’t ibang larangan. From the court to the workplace, women are demanding higher wages,” she said.
Gabriela is also calling on the UAAP Board of Managing Directors to reverse the “discriminatory” pay scale.
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